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Presence of Total Microcystins in the Littoral of the Western Coast of the Curonian Lagoon of the Baltic Sea in 2011–2018 by the Data of Immunochromatographic Analysis

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Abstract

Using immunochromatographic express analysis, it is shown that hepatotoxic metabolites of cyanobacteria, microcystins, were present in the littoral of the western coast of the Curonian Lagoon in 2011–2018 regularly during the summer and autumn months. More than half of all samples contained microcystins. The proportion of samples containing toxins is higher near large settlements. A high content of microcystins is more often recorded in the southern part of the coastal zone. Water toxicity caused by the presence of microcystins is a characteristic feature of the Curonian Lagoon.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank I.P. Zhukovskaya and O.V. Rylkov, staff of the national park and numerous volunteers who, under the guidance of the authors, took part in the public monitoring of cyanobacterial toxicity in the waters of the Curonian Lagoon, as well as the Baltic Sea Institute, which provided the results of microcystin screening for 2017–2018.

Funding

The data analysis was carried out as part of the state budget theme of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences FMWE-2024-0021; the data were collected with the support of Sea Baltic Institute Ltd. (Kaliningrad).

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  1. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    M. M. Smirnova & E. E. Ezhova

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  1. M. M. Smirnova
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Translated by P. Kuchina

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Smirnova, M.M., Ezhova, E.E. Presence of Total Microcystins in the Littoral of the Western Coast of the Curonian Lagoon of the Baltic Sea in 2011–2018 by the Data of Immunochromatographic Analysis. Inland Water Biol 17, 139–147 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1995082924010152

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